Trench widener



May 17, 1932.

H. J. BENTSON TRENCH WIDBNER Filed Feb. 15, 929 2 Sheets$heet l y 1932- H. J. BENTSON 9 3 TRENGH WIDENER Filed Feb. 15, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fiUeEZ OTE $44? 48% W understood from the following description, 2

UNITE STATES HANS J. BEN'ISON, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOB T0 AUSTIN BIAOHINEEY CORPORATION, OF M'USKEGON, IJIIGHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA 'rnnncn w nnnnn Application filed February 13, 1929. SerialNo. 339,512.

This invention relates in general to trenching machines, and has for its object broadly the provision of trench wideners or auxiliary excavating or digging elements of 1m proved construction.

A principal object of the present invent on is the provision of a trenching machlne adapted to dig trenches of varylng and desired width, and without substitution or alteration of the main digging and conveying mechanism, and through the provis on of simple and efficient auxiliary digging mechanism.

The invention has for a further object the provision of auxiliary diggers or trench widening devices adapted to be positioned and removed upon the digging boom without requiring special formation of the boom or alteration of its construction.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of trench widening devices, which may be readily arranged and adjusted in accordance with the character of the soil being excavated.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of a trench Widening device or auxiliary digger which may itself be extended or contracted to produce a trench'of desired width.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of a device or apparatus of the character described. which will be of simple, sturdy construction, and unlikely to require frequent repair, replacement or readjustment of the parts in service.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of so much of a trench digging machine equipped with my invention as is believed necessary to an understanding of the invention; Fig 2 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sect-ion taken through the boom adjacent one of the aux- V iliary digging mechanisms; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged end elevation of'an auxiliary digging mechanism. f

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown on the drawings the main digging and conveying mechanism of a usual trenching machine which comprises a boom 11 pivoted at its top upon a power shaft 12 and carrying a conveyor 13, which is providedv with digging and conveying buckets 14. These buckets, in accordance with usual practice, are provided with teeth 15 which cut into the soil bank 16, the removed material being carried up by the buckets for the usual disposition upon a transversely moving conveyor (not shown). The conveyor 13 passes over drive sprockets 17 upon the power shaft 12 and over idler sprockets 18 upon a shaft 19 mounted at the lower end of the boom.- One or more idler sprockets 21 is provided on the under side of the boom, and idler sprockets 22 are provided on its upper side.

In accordance with my present invention, I provide a number of auxiliary digging mechanisms adapted to cut into the earth at the sides of andbeyond the range of the cutting zone of the main digging and conveying mechanism. These auxiliary digging mechanisms are mounted upon the boom and are individually rotatable about fixed axes being driven by the conveyor of the main digging and conveying mechanism. These auxiliary digging mechanisms are substantial dupli cates of each other, and a description of one will be sufficient for an understanding of them all.

A bearing 28 is fixed by clamp bolts 24 upon the top of the boom, the clamp bolts 24 securely holding this bearing in place and permit-I j for the reception of digging teeth 36 and 37,

' invention curved rearwardly in the direction of rotation, to insure positive driving by the conveyor sprocket chain.

The sprocket teeth 28, for a purpose which will later be more fully explained, are set into the sprocket wheels 26 and are reversibly held in place by bolts 29. Each sprocket carries digging elements extending out laterally from its sides. In the embodiment of the selected for illustration, each sprocket wheel carries two such digging ele-' ments. Each of these digging elements comprises a casting 31 having a wing portion 32 secured by bolts 33 to the rim of the sprocket, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. Each digging elementcomprises also a body or tooth carrying part 34, having recesses or channels 35 these teeth being secured in place by bolts 38 passing through the teeth and taking into the carrier body.

- Each carrier body is adapted also to receive extension teeth or diggers, indicated in the drawing by reference character 39, these teeth or extensions being held in place by bolts 41 passing laterally into the carrier body. It will be understood that, thus constructed, cutters may be arranged to extend at the desired distance from the outer ends of the carrier body to cut therebeyond.

Combined bracing and soil deflecting members are provided to extend between the outer end of the castings 31 and the sprockets. Each of these combined bracing and soil deflecting members comprises an angle bracket 42 fixed by bolts 43 to a rearwardly extending flange 44 of the casting. Each bracket 42 is connected by a main bracing and deflecting member 45 with an angle bracket 46 connected to the sprocket arm by bolts 47 taking into the rim of the sprocket and into a lug 48 formed integral with'the rim and extending radially inwardly from it. The member 45 is preferably of curved form, as seen in Fig. 4, and consists of an angle iron having a vertical flange extending out toward the periphery of the digger and a horizontal flange extending 'laterallyfrom the inner edge of the vertical flange. This horizontal flange serves both to stiffen the construction and to direct the excavated soil in toward the path of the main digging and conveying mechamsm.

Viewing Fig. 1,.it will be noted that an auxiliary digging organization is located at the'lower end of the boom. Here the sprockets of the auxiliary digging mechanism are merely substituted for the idle sprockets usually there located,.and it will be understood that when it is desired to dispense with the auxiliary digging mechanisnnif desired, the digging elements may be removed without disturbing such sprockets. V

In Fig; 1 three auxiliary digging organizations are provided, and it will be noted that these are separated upon the boom so that they cut through zones spaced one above the other as the trencher moves ahead in digging the trench. This arrangement is suflicient where the soil is loose and easily removed. The auxiliary digging mechanisms are, however, readily adjustable lengthwise of the boom by merely loosening the clamp bolts 24 and moving the bearings along the boom into desired relationship. The auxiliary diggers can in this manner be brought nearer together or spaced farther apart to meet varying soil conditions.

In this adjustment of the auxiliary diggers they may be arranged so that their cutting zones overlap when digging in relatively coherent material and/or in such relation that their zones of digging are spaced vertically when digging in sandy or other loose soil adapted to fall or drop away of its ownweight if given opportunity.

It will be manifest that the auxiliary digging mechanisms embodying my invention may be incorporated in trenching machines wherein the boom is of any usual or preferred construction and without requiring any reformation of it for the purpose, and also that the auxiliary digging mechanisms may be readily removed without other alteration or adjustment of parts of the trencher to per unit the excavating to be accomplished merely by the main digging and conveying mecha Since the teeth 28 of the sprockets are reversible, it is not necessary to provide right and lefthand parts for the apparatus and to this end also the rim of the sprockets is provided with auxiliary fastening openings 49 to permit reversal of the position of the digging elements.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be .understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and ar rangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a trenching machine, the combination of a continuously moving main digging and conveying mechanism, comprising av boom, an endless conveyor moving above and below said boom, and anauxiliary digging mechanism comprising a plurality of digging elements fixed on and extending laterally from said boom, said elements being individually adjustable lengthwise of said boom. 3

2. In a trenching machine, the combination of a continuously moving main digging and conveying mechanism, comprising a boom an endless conveyor moving above and below said comprising a plurality of digging elements fixed on and extending laterally from said boom, said elements being adjustable lengthwise of the boom for digging in overlapped or spaced relationship.

3. In a trenching machine, the combination of a continuously moving main digging and conveying mechanism, comprising a boom, an endless conveyor moving above and below said boom, and a plurality of auxiliary digging mechanisms mounted on and individually adjustable lengthwise of said boom, said auxiliary mechanisms being individually operated from said conveyor.

4. In a trenching-machine, the combination of a continuously moving main digging and conveying mechanism, comprising a boom, an endless conveyor moving above and below said boom, an auxiliary digging mechanism, comprising a bearing fixed on said boom, a shaft arranged through said bearing, sprockets mounted on said shaft and in engagement with said conveyor, laterally extending digging elements fixed to said sprockets, and angularly arranged braces extending between said outer ends of said digging elements and said sprockets.

5. In a trenching machine, the combination of a continuously moving main digging and conveying mechanism, comprising a boom, an endless conveyor moving above and below said boom, an auxiliary digging mechanism, comprising a bearing fixed on said boom, a shaft arranged through said bearing, sprockets mounted on said shaft and in engagement with said conveyor, laterally extending digging elements fixed to said sprockets, and angularly arranged braces extending between said outer ends of said digging elements and said sprockets, said braces having deflectors for directing excavated material into the path of the main digging and conveying mechanism.

6. In a trenching machine, the combination of a continuously moving main digging and conveying mechanism, comprising a boom, an endless conveyor moving above and below said boom, sprockets operable by. said conveyor, digging elements carried by said sprockets and extending laterally of the travel of said conveyor, and deflecting braces connecting the outer ends of said digging elements with said sprockets.

7. In a trenching machine, the combination of a continuously moving main digging and conveying mechanism, comprising a boom, an endless conveyor moving above and below said boom, sprockets carried by said boom, and auxiliary digging elements carried by said sprockets and extending lateral-l 1y of the travel of said conveyor, said digging elements including digging members and defleeting members for deflecting soil into the zone of operation of said conveyor.

HANS J. BENTSON. 

